Rabbi Michoel Reach
145 answers
Rabbi Michoel Reach was a member in the Yeshiva Derech Chaim
Kollel in Brooklyn, NY and the Ner Israel Rabbinical College in
Baltimore, MD for many years. He has taught advanced classes on the
Chumash (Five books of Moses) for three years in Baltimore and is the
author of a not yet published book on Chumash. He also has a Bachelors
in Physics and Math from the California Institute of Technology and a
PhD in Math from the University of California Berkeley with a
Dissertation on the Recursion relation for K-Soliton solutions to the
Schroedinger Equation. He is presently a database consultant for the
Pathology Data Systems Department for the Johns Hopkins School of
Medicine.
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Understanding “Love Your Neighbor”
I have to write an essay on a few of the famous quotes in Leviticus. I am having a particularly troubling time on chapter 19, verse 18 and understanding the meaning of the different commentaries by Rashi and Rambam and…
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Humility vs. Responsibility
Two Jewish values are humility on the one hand, and taking responsibility on the other. While it may be important to shy away from honors and the limelight, it’s also important to take responsibility when duty calls. Moses is known…
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Tefillin of the High Priest
How did the High Priest in the Temple wear Tefilin while also wearing a head dress? Answer: The High Priest was able to wear Tefillin – the Sages explain that the golden “Tzitz” band was on his forehead, the hat…
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The Golden Calf and the Tabernacle
Can you please explain why the story of the sin of the Golden Calf is right in the middle of the description of the Mishkan (Tabernacle)? Answer: I’ll tell you a few thoughts that I have, and maybe you can…
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Jacob’s Fight with the Angel
All of these questions bothered me for years. I tried looking in the commentaries with no great success… Answer: I think your questions are wonderful, and I have struggled with (some of) them too. All I can do is to share…
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Midrash and Laban Wanted to Destroy Us
I once heard that many Midrashim were actually written down with political situations of the time in mind and are not just ‘fairy tales’ if you will. My question is what was the political or cultural background behind the paragraph…
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Age of Rebecca at Marriage
Where is the Rashi that says that Rivka (Rebecca) was 3 years old when she married Yitzchak? This commentary does not sit very well with me. How can a girl of 3 years old have poured out all those heavy jugs…
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Eliezer’s Repeated Story
In the Torah portion of Chayei Sarah the story of Eliezer and Rivkah (Rebecca) is written twice. What are the differences and why is Eliezer’s name not mentioned? Answer: Hi! Thank you for these interesting and important questions, which I…
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Laughter
When Hagar and Ishmael are kicked out, it says Sarah saw Ishmael doing something, and uses the verb ‘zadi, chet, kuf’, the same used for idolatry at the golden calf incident, murder in II Samuel and adultery when Potiphar’s wife…